Building The Bouncing Bomb

[Upkeep]

Bob - I'm not aware of a castle in the vicinity of the Mohne. (Not to say there isn't one !) That was the other thing that puzzled me - you mentioned AA guns on the Waldeck castle, and I didn't think there were any guns around the Eder, although there may have been later. Alex will correct me on this I'm sure !

The Waldeck castle was all wrong in the film. Apart from being more of a fairytale castle, It actually looks more like the castle is on the promontory to the NW of the dam rather than up in the hills to the NE, so that the a/c fly to the left of the castle whereas the correct approach line is to the right of it.

Alex - thanks for the heads up on Wallis's daughter's book. That's new to me - do you know the title/publisher ?

[gate1]

It did!

The aircraft was the third of three 'prototypes' constructed to test the bomb and modifications. The first two (ED765 and ED817) were used at RAF Manston and RAE Farnborough in conjunction with bomb trials, ED825 was sent to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down where it was used for flight trials of the modified bomb bay. Flown by Flight Lieutenant Maurice Hartford, the tests were completed in late April 1943, and with 617 Squadron having no spare, was flown over to Scampton by Hugh Bergel of the ATA. It was bombed up, and prepared as a spare, and ultimately flown to the Sorpe Dam by Flight Lieutenant Joe Mccarthy when his usual ED915 went U/S as he started up.

ED825 was later modified to standard form, and was finally lost on an arms drop over France in december 1943. I was part of the team that excavated it in late 2007.

Upkeep - the book is called 'Mathematics with Love: The Courtship Correspondance of Barnes Wallis, Inventor of the bouncing bomb', by Mary Stopes-Roe. Molly Bloxham, was his cousin in law, and half his age at 17 when they met.

[Bob Wilton]

Hi Gate,

I have just found the Waldeck Castle post card which I bought at the Mohne gift shop.

Bob

[Bob Wilton]

An aerial reconnaissance photograph showing water gushing through the breached wall after a successful "Dambusters" attack by Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft from No. 617 Squadron RAF on the night of 1943-05-16. The foam and disturbed water visible immediately below the bridge covers the site of the Power Station. The water draining from the lake overflowed and destroyed the dam surrounding the Compensating Basin.
Photograph source: The Australian War Memorial.

[Bob Wilton]

The Eder Dam after it was breached by bouncing bombs dropped by specially modified Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron RAF. The raid, Codenamed Operation Chastise, was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, 617 Squadron, RAAF. This image is believed to have been taken by a German officer on the day following the raid. Photograph source: The Australian War Memorial.

[Bob Wilton]

ENGLAND. C. 1943-12. ON THE GROUND, "P" FOR POPSY, A LANCASTER AIRCRAFT WITH SQUADRON LEADER (SQN LDR) H. B. MARTIN DSO DFC, RAF, SYDNEY, NSW, AT THE CONTROLS. SQN LDR MARTIN BELONGS TO THE FAMOUS NO. 617 SQUADRON RAF, WHICH RAIDED THE GERMAN DAMS 1943-05-16.
Photograph source: The Australian War Memorial,

[Bob Wilton]

Wing Commander G. P. Gibson VC, DSO, DFC, No. 617 Squadron RAF (1 at top of steps) with crew about to enter their Lancaster bomber aircraft ED932.
Photograph source: The Australian War Memorial.

[Bob Wilton]

16th May 1943. King George VI with Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, who led the low level night bombing attack by No. 617 Squadron RAF which breached the Mohne and Ede dams on the Ruhr River. The resultant floods caused considerable damage to several industrial areas of Germany. The King is seen viewing reconnaissance pictures of the breached dams after the raid. The raiding aircraft crews were popularly known as the Dambusters.

[Upkeep]

I have just found the Waldeck Castle post card which I bought at the Mohne gift shop.

Can't help thinking it's a bit odd that the Mohne gift shop should be selling postcards of the Waldeck when it's nowhere near it !

[Bob Wilton]

I have just found the Waldeck Castle post card which I bought at the Mohne gift shop.

Can't help thinking it's a bit odd that the Mohne gift shop should be selling postcards of the Waldeck when it's nowhere near it !

Maybe its owned by the same people who have a shop at the Eder if there is one, Upkeep?

Bob